DRUG ABUSE

Drug Addiction Information

There is a subtle but important difference between drug abuse and drug addiction. Someone can abuse drugs without being addicted but the opposite is not true. It is not possible to be addicted to drugs without abusing them. There are many types of drugs and reasons for drug abuse Below, we overview the drugs treated here at Summit Malibu. For more information on a particular substance, click Learn More at the end of any section.

List of Top Addictive Drugs:

Crack (Crack Cocaine) Abuse and Addiction

Description: Crack cocaine is a solid, smokable cocaine that is made using baking soda or sodium hydroxide. This converts a powdered cocaine into a freebase form of the drug.

Effects: Crack cocaine affects the brain’s chemistry, causing feelings of euphoria and supreme confidence, as well as loss of appetite, insomnia, alertness, increased energy, craving for more cocaine and potential paranoia between doses.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Crack cocaine is one of the most addictive “street drugs” available. There are currently an estimated 500,000 users in the U.S.

Opium Addiction and Abuse

Description: Opium is a dried liquid obtained from opium poppies. It contains up to 12% of morphine, which is used to make heroin.

Effects: Opium produces a feeling of pleasure and euphoria.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Opium, like almost all illicit substances, causes withdrawal symptoms when use is stopped or temporarily interrupted. The desire to avoid the sometimes intolerable feelings of withdrawal keeps many users dependent despite the negative consequences.

Methcathinone Addiction and Abuse

Description: Stimulant drug similar to methamphetamine. It can be snorted, smoked, injected or taken orally.

Effects: Methcathinone is considered highly addictive. The effects of methcathinone are similar to methamphetamine and sometimes compared to those of cocaine.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Stopping long-term use, or even high-volume short term use, commonly leads to depression, anxiety and craving for the drug. Withdrawal is usually followed by fatigue and a “crash.” Upon awakening there is continued sleepiness, depression and anhedonia (an absence of feeling).

Tryptamine Addiction and Abuse

Description: Tryptamine is an alkaloid found in in plants, fungi and animals, and is chemically related to the amino acid tryptophan from which its name is derived.

Effects: Tryptamine is commonly used by humans for its psychotropic effects.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Tryptamines have become a common “party drug” and should be suspected in any case of sudden, unexplained, bizarre behavior, especially in persons in the age range of 14-25 years.

Rohypnol Abuse and Addiction

Effects: Rohypnol was prescribed for patients suffering chronic or severe insomnia. It was intended to be administered on a short-term basis under controlled conditions such as with inpatient treatment

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Rohypnol became known as a “date rape” drug due to its high potency, sudden and strong effects, and its ability to cause amnesia during its duration. Overdose of Rohypnol may result in excessive sedation, impairment of balance, and slurred speech. Severe overdoses may result in respiratory failure, coma, and possibly death.

PCP (Phencyclidine) Abuse and Addiction

Description: Phencyclidine (PCP) is a dissociative drug that comes in both powder and liquid forms.

Effects: PCP was formerly used as an anaesthetic that creates both hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Individuals under the influence of Phencyclidine may act in a highly unpredictable fashion, possibly driven by their delusions and hallucinations. PCP-induced behavior has included physical attacks on others, destruction of property, self-harming and suicide.

Morphine Abuse and Addiction

Description: Morphine is an extremely potent opiate analgesic drug

Effects: The common effects of morphine include euphoria, heightened ambition, nervousness, relaxation and drowsiness.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Without treatment, psychological dependence on morphine can be lifelong. There is a good chance that relapse will occur unless changes occur in both the physical environment and behavioral motivators that contributed to the abuse.

Mescaline Abuse and Addiction

Description: Mescaline is a natural alkaloid, occurring in the peyote cactus and the San Pedro cactus.

Effects: Mescaline is a hallucinogen that is mainly used as a psychoactive substance in religious or spiritual practices; however, it’s also used as a recreational drug.

Drug Abuse and Addiction Information: Large doses of mescaline can lower the body’s glucose level, possibly causing unconsciousness, or can induce convulsions, heart failure, and death due to respiratory failure.